Maine
Coon
The Maine
Coon is known for its large size, easygoing temperament, and
rugged appearance. This native New England breed is well-adapted
to that harsh climate, with a heavy, shaggy coat, bushy tail,
and tufted ears and toes. They have a long, rectangular body,
square muzzles, and an overall look of a sturdy cat who is
a great hunter and hard worker.
Despite
its name, the Maine Coon cat is not a relative of the raccoon.
The name reflects the resemblance of a tabby Maine Coon's
tail to that of a raccoon. Cross-mating between raccoons and
cat s is genetically impossible
The first
Maine Coon recognized in cat literature as such was in 1861,
with a black and white cat named "Captain Jinks of the
Horse Marines", after a popular song of the time. In
1895, a brown tabby Maine Coon named Cosie was the winner
of the Madison Square Garden show. The fifth cat registered
in the newly-formed CFA in 1908 was a Maine Coon named Molly
Bond.
Unfortunately,
the popularity of the Maine Coon declined shortly after this
until the 1950s, due to the importation of more exotic-seeming
cats such as the Persian and Siamese. After the 1950s, the
popularity climbed until today; the Maine is now one of the
world's most popular cat breeds, second only to the Persian.
Maine Coons
can grow to be quite large; it is not unusual to find males
who weigh over twenty pounds. Females are generally somewhat
smaller than males, though still considerably larger than
the average house cat.
MCO Maine
Coon Standard
the Maine Coon is a natural breed of amiable character that
traces its origin to the working cat found on the farms of
Northeast America
General Appearance: the breed of the Maine Coon is large framed
with a square outline of the head, large ears, broad chest,
solid bone structure, a long, hard muscled, rectangular body
and a long flowing tail. Good muscle tone and density give
the cat the appearance of power and robustness
Size large:
Head Shape medium in size; square outline. Profile with a
gentle concave slope
Forehead gently curved
Cheeks cheekbones high and prominent
Face:
Nose:
Muzzle face and nose of medium length with a square outline
of the muzzle distinct transition can be felt between muzzle
and cheekbones
Chin firm, in vertical alignment with nose and upperlip
Ears Shape large, wide at the base.
moderately pointed.
lynx-tufts are desirable, tufts of hair in the ears extend
beyond outer edges of ears
Placement set high on head with a very slight outward tilt.
ears should be placed one ear's width apart, the width extends
slightly in older cats
lower base set just slightly further back than upper base
Eyes Shape large and widely set.
slightly oval, but not almond shaped, appear round when wide
open
set slightly slanted towards the outer base of the ear
Colour any colour is permitted, there is no relationship between
eye- and coat colour
clear eye colour is desirable
Neck males have a very strong muscled neck
Body Structure the body should be long, substantial bone structure
hard muscled, powerful, broad chested
large framed, all parts of the body in proportion to create
a rectangular appearance
Legs substantial, medium length to form a rectangle with the
body
Paws large, round and well tufted between the toes
Tail at least as long as the body from shoulderblade to base
of tail
wide at the base tapering to the tip; with full, flowing hair
the hair on the tail is long and always remains flowing
Coat Structure all weather coat, dense
short on head, shoulders and legs, becoming gradually longer
down the back and sides, with long, full shaggy baggy trousers
on the hind legs and belly fur, a frill is expected
texture silky
coat has distinct body, falling smoothly
the undercoat is soft and fine, covered by the coarse smooth
outercoat
Colour: all colour varieties are permitted, including all
colour varieties with white; except pointed patterns and chocolate
and lilac, cinnamon and fawn
any amount of white is allowed, i.e. a white blaze, white
locket, white chest, white on the belly, white on the paws,
etc.
for colour
varieties refer to tables below
Condition the Maine Coon should always be in good balance,
condition and proportion
Remarks type must always take preference over colour
very slow maturing of the breed should be taken into account
mature males may have larger and broader heads than females
females are proportionally smaller than males. Allowance must
be made for this significant difference in size
length of coat and density of undercoat vary with the seasons
